20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

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BloodTrial
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Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2016 1:00 pm

20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

Post by BloodTrial »

Hello All,

Has anyone had any problems with Excalibur's 20 inch Fire Bolts? I am having big problems with them. They seem to be dropping 10 to 12 inches at 60 yards! Only with fire bolts. I have some Easton Power Bolts 20inch and they are dead on at 60 yards. I'm stumped on this one. Can anyone tell me why the fire bolts are dropping so drastically at 40 to 60 yards. and the Easton Power Bolts are not.

How I came up on this problem is. I was sighting my Axiom just after I purchased it. The tack zone scope has a fps dial. I adjusted my fps dial at 300fps
and sighted at 20 yards. When it was sighted in at 20 I thin moved back to 60 only to find out my point of impact was nearly a foot low! If you are shooting low you are supposed to turn your fps dial down. That is what I did, I turned it down a little at a time. Shooting 3 times after each adjustment. Eventually I maxed the fps dial out! As low as it would go and still my bolts were shooting a foot low! That is when I went back to 20 yards, turned the fps dial back to 300 and started shooting my Easton Power Bolts. I Sighted in at 20 yards. Thin I moved to 60 yards and made three perfect shots!
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Scarecrow
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Re: 20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

Post by Scarecrow »

The speed dial does not effect your shots using the cross hairs. It is only used when you start moving back and try to get the other markings to match your 30, 40, etc. shots. Once you have it zero'd in at twenty, try moving it to 30 or 40 before you move directly to 60. It is much easier to get the scope sighted in.

What is the weight difference between the Fire Bolts and Power Bolts?
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jd4223
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Re: 20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

Post by jd4223 »

Arrow weight difference. Also I'm assuming you're using the same broad heads on both arrows?
BloodTrial
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Re: 20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

Post by BloodTrial »

Yes im using the same practice tips. Rage 125 grains.
The fire bolts shoot fine at 20 and 30 yards. At 40 yards is when they start dropping. Around 2 to 3 inched every 10 yards. I was just saying when I get all the way to 60 yards is when I started tweaking the speed dial. Which it never changed the point of impact of the fire bolts.

I have looked everywhere for the specs of the Easton Power Bolts c2 20 inch. I cant seem to find them. I wouldn't think the weight between the two would be that much different. I will keep looking for the specs in the mean time Excalibur is sending me 6 new fire bolts. Does anyone else use the Axiom with 125 grain tips?
BloodTrial
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Re: 20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

Post by BloodTrial »

O.k I found out that both Easton power bolts and excalibur firebolt 's both weigh 275 grains. Does anyone have any idea why the firebolt are dropping and the power bolts arnt?
Patcon
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Re: 20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

Post by Patcon »

Is your stirrup wrapped?
If it is, are the vanes taller on the problem arrow? ...hitting the stirrup wrap...
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BloodTrial
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Re: 20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

Post by BloodTrial »

The veins are a bit taller on the fire bolts! However, my stirrup isn't rapped. The problem arrows are two fire bolts. These are the last two fire bolts I have left from the original purchase. I have been shooting them for quite some time. The only differences between the power bolt and fire bolts are the veins.

Power bolts veins are I bit smaller all the way around but are very durable and stern.
Fire bolts veins seem to be longer and taller but are flimsy.

Could this make the flight pattern so different?

What gets me is, both the fire bolts are hitting the same point of impact every time. low, the father out you shot the lower they are hitting.
xcaliber
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Re: 20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

Post by xcaliber »

My guess would be that the Easton bolts are heavier in the front end. They probably have brass inserts where as the Fire Bolt have aluminum inserts. Up close you would see less change but dramatically more at longer distances. This is called FOC, or front of center.
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nchunterkw
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Re: 20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

Post by nchunterkw »

As Dan said, no doubt these 2 arrows have very different FOC, and this effects trajectory. However, the longer vanes (veins are in your body :D ) will also have more drag and at 60 you can really see the speed diference.

If both arrows are the same length, put the same head on each and find the point where the arrow balaces on a credit card or something. Mark that spot on each arrow. Now mark the center each of the arrow. Measure the difference between the center mark and the balanced point for each arrow. Divied by the total length then multiply by 100 and that is FOC in percent.

Example
Measuring from the nock end......
Total length (TL) = 20"
Center point (CP) = 10"
Balance point(BP) = 13"

FOC = (BP-CP)/TL = (13-10)/20 = 3/20 = 0.15 * 100 = 15%
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BloodTrial
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Re: 20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

Post by BloodTrial »

Wow, everyone is so helpful on this forum! Not only is Excalibur awesome but so are the people who own them! Just from one post I have more knowledge on why the fire bolt is dropping so much at 60 yards. However, I was really hoping it was a defective bolt. Excalibur is sending me six more bolts through the mail and I was hoping they would fly better. The Fire Bolts are made for Excalibur bows so I still don't understand why my Axiom is having trouble with them and not the Power bolt. You would think it would be the other way around.

I will follow up when the new fire bolts arrive. If they are still dropping drastically at the longer yards I will get everyone opinion on how to fix this. Until thin, thanks for everyone's time and input!
mr meat
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Re: 20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

Post by mr meat »

Welcome to the forum!! If you could fill out your profile to let us know where your from someone might live close to help you out more!
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jd4223
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Re: 20 inch Fire Bolt performance!

Post by jd4223 »

Have you actually used a scale to weigh each arrow and each broadhead? Weigh each arrow minus the broadhead,then weigh each broadhead,then weigh each arrow with the broadhead attached and see what you come up with. You may find a weight difference in the arrows,or the broadheads.
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